No reason to pardon BN

If voters are going to be softhearted and fall for Najib's sob-story of an apology, then the nation is doomed.

COMMENT

The recent public apology by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak does merit a bit of attention from the rakyat but only to see how well he is performing as an actor. It is nothing but merely a ploy to hoodwink the rakyat into voting for Barisan Nasional (BN) time and time again.

Here are several reasons why Najib and BN should never be pardoned: dirty voter registration rolls, Perak, Lynas, Imam Hoslan Hussin and Frusis Lebi.

The first is in regard to the voter rolls wherein opposition Pakatan Rakyat MPs have detected at least 230,000 dubious voters.

The following is a breakdown of the tremendous increase in the percentage of voters in Selangor in various parliamentary and state seats:

1. Sungai Besar 19.95% (Umno)

2. Hulu Selangor 25.14% (MIC)

3. Kuala Selangor 20.39%

4. Selayang 18.86%

5. Pandan 18.18% (MCA)

6. Hulu Langat 23.95%

7. Serdang 22.63%

8. Puchong 24.94%

9. PJ Selatan 5.64%

10. PJ Utara 7.76%

11. Subang 35.02%

12. Shah Alam 19.87%

13. Kota Raja 29.51%

14. Kuala Langat 23.62%

15. Sepang 24.64% (Umno)

With the exception of Sungai Besar, Hulu Selangor, Pandan and Sepang, the rest are Pakatan seats.

It is obvious that the Election Commission (EC) is working in cahoots with the National Registration Department (NRD) to steal Selangor for Najib and BN. This is unforgivable!

Besides the above, there were no deaths recorded in the last quarter of last year.

There were also many cases of voters staying under the same roof:

1. 51 to 100 voters staying under the same address – 1,259 cases.

2. 21 to 50 voters staying under the same address – 3,254 cases.

3. 11 to 20 voters staying under the same address – 6,002 cases.

From 2008 till last year, there has not been much increase in new housing estates so the increase in the number of voters is highly irregular.

Terengganu, which was won by PAS in 1999, was recaptured by BN in 2004 due to voter-roll manipulation executed in the same manner as shown above. From 1999 to 2004, there was an overall increase of 17.18% in the number of voters whereas the increase in population was only 1.53%. However, at that time the public were not so politically aware and there was no hue and cry about the fall of Terengganu to BN.

Najib is wasting the rakyat’s time

Next issue is Perak. Why didn’t Najib apologise for the illegal, undemocratic and diabolical power-grab which was masterminded by him?

This columnist still remembers the smirk on his face as he hosted the press conference flanked by the three political frogs from Pakatan.

The third issue is Lynas Advanced Materials Plant (LAMP). No apologies are needed for this matter. No excuses are necessary and none is warranted. Just shut down Lynas. Najib is wasting the rakyat’s time and insulting the rakyat’s intelligence where this issue is concerned.

The fourth issue pertains to the bullying of underdogs. The one-year jail term for Imam Hosni who threw his slippers at the judges is too excessive. Although contempt of court should not be condoned, the sentence meted out to him makes a mockery of the judiciary when you compare it with former Selangor menteri besar Khir Toyo’s one-year jail term. Enough said.

Another case of an underdog being bullied is Frusis Lebi of Sarawak who was denied his RM300 welfare aid for the disabled because he put up a flag of one of Pakatan Rakyat’s component parties outside his house during last year’s Sarawak state election. Anyway, the flag was promptly torn down by BN supporters.

Najib’s apology is an insincere one. But for such a convincing performance he surely deserves an Oscar for Best Actor. Nevertheless, many rural folk will be taken in and a good number of the urban folk, too, going by the maturity and thinking ability of Malaysian voters.

One has to realise that the longer BN stays in power, the longer still will Malaysians be the world’s laughing stock due to the stupidity of its voters.

An English daily on Feb 16, 2012, reported Najib’s evasive answer when he was questioned on whether the RM500 cash aid will be given next year. This was what he said, “We will see. When the time comes, we will announce it.” Bingo! Without consulting any oracles, this columnist dares to predict that the RM500 cash aid will certainly not be given next year if the general election is held this year.

All along Najib and his BN government treat the rakyat as fools. BN leaders always say that Pakatan has failed to keep its promises. Well, let us make a list of unfulfilled promises of both BN and Pakatan and you can be sure that BN’s list will take up enough reams of paper to go around the globe nine times. Why nine? Simply because nine is the number of eternity.

If Malaysian voters are going to be softhearted and fall for Najib’s sob-story of an apology, then Malaysia is doomed.We must not be taken for a ride anymore. By the way, what is that RM410,000 invoice for his daughter’s engagement banquet all about?

Selena Tay is a FMT columnist